Separating device



June 24, 1941. H. A. JORDAN 2,246,851

SEPARATING DEVICE Filed March 1o, 1939 4 sheets-sheet 1 June l24, 1941. H A, JORDAN 2,246,851

SEPARATING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1959 4 Sheets-Shea?I 2 dnb @0600066196 ooooooooooo OOOOOODOOOO I 1 vu onto@ Han/@1 A. Jordan June 24,1941. H. A. JoRDAN SEPARATING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1959 4 SheetsSheet 3 (ldd June 24, 1941. A. JQRDAN 2,246,851

SEPARATING DEVICE Filed Maron 1o, l1959 4 sheets-sheet 4 Harvey A Joran Patented .une 24, i941 UNI-TD STTES PATENT OFFICE y i Aaaia'ssl y v SEPARATING DEVICE Harvey A. Jordan, San Antonio, Tex. Application March 1o, 1939, serial Nazcasze (o1. mme)V 7 Clair'ns.

This invention relates to new and useful irnprovements in separating devices.

One object of the invention is toprovide an improved device'for eiciently separating the broken shells from the meat` of nuts, whereby such separation may be accomplished in a mir'iiinum length of' time and without Amanual labor.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved separating device wherein the broken shells and Vmeats: are conducted beneath separating rollers or" drumswhich are constructed so as to pick;v up the meats without picking up the shells, whereby the meats may be subsequent- 1y removed from the drum and r-etained, while the shells may be suitably disposed of in anyv drum provided with depres'sible pins'or teeth,v

which are normally held in an' outer or extended position by a resilient means, whereby'they'ray pass over the broken shells andmeat; the pins" being arranged to penetrate 'the relativelylsoft meat to pick up the saine but being constructed so as to be depressed when contacting the rela-f tively hard shells, wher'eby only the nut meat is picked up by said teeth.

Another object of the invention is to in a plurality of sharpened pins are slidably mounted inthe wallv of the drum with their outer ends projecting radially from the drum surface,

together with improved resilient means withinA said drum for normally holding the pins Yextended; said resilient means having suflicierit strength to maintain the pins extended when said pins contact the relatively soft nut meat, whereby said meat is: penetratedgbut being arranged to flex sufficiently to permit the pins lto retractr or move inwardly when said pins contact the shell to prevent the' Pins penetrating said shell.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved separating device, of the' character described, wherein the broken shellsV and the meat of the nuts are conducted beneath a plurality of separating rollers which extend transversely of the conveyor so that all of the shells and meat thereon are cont-acted by the rollers to assure that no particles escapeV separation; the device also including automatic stripper means for removing the nut meats from the roll-ers anda belt conveyor for conveying the separatedv meats to a desired disposition.

Still another object of the invention'l is" to proprovide l an improved roller for a separating' device where- VideA an improved Separating devioe, of the character described, wherein the drums, conveyors, discharge hopper, and other movable parts are drivenY from a single prime mover whereby manufacturing and" operatingv costs are niinimized.

A construction designed to carry out the in- Venti'on will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The .invention will Vbe more readily understood from a reading of the fcillov'v'n'g specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an ex'arnp'le'of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 vis` aside elevation of an improved separating device, constructed in accordance with they invention, y 3

Figure 2V is a plan View, taken onthe line 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a partial longitudinal, sectional View and illustrating two ofthe separating drums,

fFgu'el is an enlarged partial', vertical, sect'fal VView tak'n on the line lf-4 of Figure l,

Figure 5 is an enlarged partial, sectional view of 'Ii f lthe drums, and

Figuis a tans'versevertieal, sectional View, taken on the line 6-6 of Fi'g'ure.,

In the drawings, the numeral! designates the longitudinally extending side members of a frame or stand. The side members are provided with depending supporting legs I' at their extremities and the lower portion of they legs are braced by a longitudinal bracing member 2`. yThe bracing member' I'2 is connected to the side member or frame l'' by a vertical bar 3. It is preferable that the elements of the stand be formed integral with each other, as is clearly shown` in Figure 1. Mounted between the longitudinal frame members ,lll is a" longitudinally extending conveyor belt I4. This endless belt passes over pulleys l5, which are mounted on transverse shafts i6. Each pulley l5 is" mounted in the same mannerv and has the' ends' of its shaft supported in suitable bearing collars l1 which are bolted or otherwise secured to the frame I0.- It is pointed out that the pulleys' are located' nearer the upper end of the stand, whereby the endless conveyor belt travels in a plane in substantial' alinement with the upper portion of the standV (Figure 1). When the pulleys l5- are rotated, it is manifest that a longitudinal r'novenie'nt'r will be imparted to the endless conveyor belt i4. l

The -intermediate portion of the 4conveyor belt between the pune'ys l5' is supported by a piufrality" o`f transverse rollers 14a which have pivot studs |417 at their ends (Figure 4). The studs are journaled in angular brackets |4c which are secured to an angle member I4r1 mounted on the inner side of the longitudinal frame bars IE). The ends of the rollers I4a are ared outwardly so that the longitudinal edge portions of the conveyor I4 are inclined upwardly to prevent particles thereon from falling from the conveyor during its longitudinal travel.

For driving the endless conveyor belt I4, one of the pulleys I5 has a drive pulley I8 secured to its shaft. An endless drive belt I9 passes over the drive pulley I8 and also over the drive wheel 28 of a suitable electric motor 2|. When the motorV is operating, it will be manifest that a rotation will be imparted to the drive pulley I8 through the belt I9, whereby a rotation is imparted to the shaft I6 to rotate the conveyor pulley I5. In this manner, the conveyor I4 travels longitudi nally within the frame between the side members thereof. It is pointed out that the conveyor belt is driven in the direction of the arrows in Figure 1, as the pulley I5 is rotated in a clockwise direction in this gure.

Asuitable hopper 22 for receiving the cracked nuts to be worked upon is secured to the frame I0 at one end thereof, said hopper being mounted on a suitable bracket or suppo-rt 23. The hopper is mounted at that end of the frame on which the drive pulley |8 is located and said hopper is formed with a suitable discharge spout 24 which has its lower end disposed contiguous or adjacent to the upper surface of the conveyor belt I4. A rotatable dropper 25 is mounted within the discharge spout for feeding or dropping the cracked nuts from the hopper onto the conveyor. This dropper is mounted on a suitable shaft 26 which extends transversely of the discharge spout and has its ends supported in bearings 21 which are bolted to the top of the frame I0. One end of the shaft 26 has a drive pulley 28 secured thereto and a drive belt 29 passes over this pulley and' also over the pulley I8, whereby when the latter drive pulley is rotated to impart movement to the conveyor I4, a rotation is imparted to the dropper 25. Thus, it will be manifest that the cracked nuts which are to have their shells separated from vthe meat are introduced into the hopper 22. These broken or cracked knuts are fed onto the conveyor belt which is moving in a direction toward the right in Figure 1, Y

A plurality of drums or rollers 3|) are mounted in spaced relation above the conveyor belt I4. Each drum is constructed in exactly the same manner and is mounted on a transverse shaft 3| which has its ends supported in a suitable bearing collar 32 which is secured to the top of the frame bar I0 (Figure 4) One end of each shaft 3| projects through the bearing collar 32 and has a pinion 33 secured thereto. This pinion is in constant mesh with a drive pinion 34, which is mounted on a longitudinal drive shaft 35 which extends parallel to and above the frame bar I0. As is clearly shown in Figure l, the drive shaft 35 is supported in a plurality of bearing elements 35 which are bolted to the frame. One end of the drive shaft is provided with a drive sprocket 31 which has an endless drive chain 38 passing thereover.

The drive chain also passes over a sprocket 39 which is secured to a jack shaft 40, which shaft is journaled in suitable bearing brackets 4| which are bolted to the side of the frame I8. It is pointed out that the sprocket 39 is located intermediate the ends of the jack shaft. As is clearly shown in Figure 1, one end of the jack shaft terminates adjacent the driving pulley I5 for the conveyor belt and this end of the shaft is provided with a suitable bevelled gear or pinion 42. This pinion is in constant engagement with a complementary pinion or bevelled gear 43 which is secured to the shaft I6 of the pulley I5. It is pointed out that the pinion 43 is fastened to the shaft at the end opposite that at which the drive pulley I8 is secured thereto.

With the above arrangement, it will be seen that when the electric motor 2| is operating to impart longitudinal movement to the conveyor belt I4 and to operate the dropper 25 in the discharge spout of the hopper 22, as has been explained, the jack shaft 40 will also be rotated through the medium of the pinions 42 and 43. Rotation of the jack shaft will, of course, rotate the sprockets 39 and 31 through the drive chain 38. Rotation of the sprocket 31 imparts a similar rotation to the drive shaft 35 which, in turn, rotates the drums 30 through the pinions 33 and 34. Therefore, as the belt or conveyor I4 moves longitudinally between the frame bars Ill, the drums 30 above said conveyor are rotated at the same time. It is noted that the gearing is such that the drums rotate in a counterclockwise direction, whereby their lower ends which are contiguous to the conveyor belt move in the same direction as said belt (Figure 3).

The drums or rollers 30 are all constructed in the same manner and it is believed that a description of one will sufIice. Each roller includes a cylindrical shell or housing 30a which is provided with a plurality of staggered pins 44 which project outwardly from the periphery thereof.

As is clearly shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the pins are arranged in staggered relation throughout the surface of the drum. Each row of pins is 4.0staggered relative to the adjacent rows, whereby it is impossible for any of the particles on the 4.3point at its outer end, while its inner end is formed with a head 45, each pin extends through a radial opening 46 which is formed within the shell 30a and the heads 45 of said pins limit the outer movement or prevent outward displacement of said pins.

For normally retaining the pins in their eX- tended or outwardly projecting position, as shown in Figure 5, a plurality of elastic retaining rings 41 are located within the shell 30a. The

lnumber of rings provided may vary andas i1- `vfrom the inner periphery of the ring. The

brackets are connected together by a screw 50 which is provided with opposite threads at opposite ends; that is, one end of the screw 58 is provided with righthand threads, while the opposite end is provided with left-hand threads. A knurled nut 5I is secured to the central portion of the screw, whereby said screw may bereadily manipulated by the operator. When the screw is rotated in one direction, it will be obvious that Vthe brackets or lugs 48 will be moved outwardly away from each other, whereby the external diameter ofthe elastic ring 41 is. increased and is pressed into. tighter engagement with the heads 45'of` the pins 44. When this occurs, it will be evident that a greater force must be exerted on the outer ends. of. said pins before said pins will move inwardly against the elastic ring. Similarly, when the nut I and screw 5U are rotated in an opposite direction, the. outer` diameter of the elastic ring 41 is reduced, with the resultthat less tension is placed against the heads 45 of the pins. Therefore, less force need be applied to the outer ends of the pins in order to move the same inwardly. From the above, it will be seen that the rings 41 control the amount of force necessary to depress or move the pins inwardly and, by properly adjusting the screw 50 to adjust the tension of the rings 41 against said pins, a positive and accurate control of the force necessary to depress the pins is had.

The cracked nuts which have their shells broken in any suitable manner are introduced into the hopper 22 and are fed therefrom onto the conveyor belt I4. Since the longitudinal edge portions of the belt are inclined upwardly by the supporting rollers |40., the particles which consists of. the broken shells and the. meat of the nuts are carried longitudinally of the frame by the conveyor. These particles will pass beneath the first roller or drum and since the sharpened pins 44 operate in close proximity to the conveyor belt I4,Y said particles are contacted by said pins. As. previously explained, the pins are arranged in staggered relation so as to cover substantially the entire cross-sectional area of the belt I4, whereby each particle must pass beneath the drum. As the pins on the rotating drum contact the meat of the nuts on the conveyor belt I4, said pins will penetrate the relatively soft meat and will piek up said meat from the conveyor. The resiliency or force exerted by the elastic rings 41 is sufficient to resist an inward movement of the pins when the same contact the relatively soft meatand, therefore, saidv pins penetrate the meat to remove the same from the conveyor. When the pins Contact the broken shells which are travelling along the conveyor, said shells, being relatively hard,V resist penetration by the pins. The resiliency or elasticity of the rings 41 is such that the hard shells will cause the pins, contacting the same to be depressed or moved inwardly, such inward movement being permitted by the distortion of the rings 41. Therefore, since the pins may move inwardly when contacting a hard surface or material, such as the shells, said pins will not penetrate the shells and will not pick up said shells to remove the same from the conveyor. Therefore, the shells will continue their travel along the conveyor while the meat will be picked up by the pins.

The rst roller or drumy 3B will pick up a portion of the meat and m'ay not remove all of said meat from the conveyor belt. However. the particles continue their travel and are moved successively beneath the remaining rollers or drums 30 and by the time said particles have passed beneath the last drum, substantially all of the meat has been removed from the conveyor and only shells remain thereon. A suitable hopper or container may be located at the end of the conveyor, whereby said shells may drop thereinto for suitable disposition.

The meats which are penetrated and picked up by the pins 44 are carried around each drum in a counter-clockwise direction. For removing the meats 'from the pins of each drum, an elongate stripper bar 52 is located adjacent each roller or drum. This bar extends longitudinally throughout the length of said drum and has itsv upper end reduced or tapered to a fine edge asshown at 53;. The upper portion of the stripper bar is notched as at 541so that it may pass between the. extending pins44 (Figure 4). The stripper bar 52A is carried by an angular bracket 55 which is securedto aftransversely extending plate 56, said., plate having its ends suitably secured tothe side members. of the frame Ill. An endless belt 51Y extends over the plate 56 and isA located immediately below the stripper bar 52. Thisv belt extends transversely of the frame I0 and passes over pulleys 58 which are mounted on a shaft 59..

The shaft is supported in suitable bearings 60 which are fastenedr to the outer side of the frameV It; (Figure 1.).

For driving one of the shafts 59, said shaft is formed witha geark 52, which gear meshes with a complementary gear 6I, the latter being mounted on theend of thejack shaft 4B. With this ar rangement, it will be seen that when the jack shaft 4I) is driven to drive the drums 30, as has been. explained, said shaft also rotates the shaft 59 and pulleys 58 mounted thereon, through the medium of the gears 6I and'62. Rotation of the pulleys 58 will cause the endless belt 51 to move transversely of the frame below the stripper bar The operation of the device is obvious. When the motor 2l is operated, the endless conveyor I4 is moved longitudinally of the frame I0. At the same time, ther dropper 25 in the lower end of the hopper 22 is rotated through the medium of the drive pulley I8 and belt 29. When the pulley shaft. I5, which drives the conveyor I4, is rotated, a rotation is imparted to the jack shaft 40', whereby the drums 3B are rotated in a counter-clockwise direction b-y means of the chain 38 and the pinions 33 and 34. At the same time, rotation of the jack shaft imparts a rotation to the pulleys 53 which impart a transverse movement to the conveyor belt 51. Therefore, all of the moving parts of the device are operated from the single Y* prime mover or motor 2l.

The nuts are rst broken or cracked and the broken shells and meat are introduced into the hopper 22. The dropper 25 feeds these particles under the conveyor I4 which carries said particles beneath the drums 35. As the particles move beneath the drums, the sharpened pins 44 thereof contact said particles and these pins penetrate the relatively soft meat on the conveyor belt. As explained, the elastic rings` 41 within each drum exert a suicient outwardI force against the pins to prevent said pins from being de-l pressed as they engage the relatively soft meat. Therefore, the meats are penetrated and carried around the drums. The shells of the nuts' are sufficiently hard that when contacted by the outer ends of the pins, the pins are depressed or moved inwardly, such inward movement -being permitted by the resiliency or elasticity of the' rings 41. Therefore, the pins will not penetrate the relatively hard shells with the resultr that the shells will be carried thereby and will not bepi'cked up by the drums.

The meats which are penetrated and picked up by the pins 44 are carried around the drum. and are removed from the pins by means of the stripper bars 52. As the meats are removed from said pins, they fall downwardly along the inclined surface of the bar 52 and drop onto the conveyor belt l which is moving transversely within the frame. These belts carry the meats to a suitable container or receptacle (not shown) which may be located at the ends of said drums.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that an eflcient device for separating the meat from the shells of nuts is provided, The rollers or drums having the depressible pins are an important feature of the invention for, obviously, said pins provide an eiicient means for picking up the meats without the shells. The amount of force which must be applied to the outer ends of the pins in order to depress said pins may be readily controlled by properly adjusting the elastic rings 4l through the adjusting screw 50. The pins may thus be arranged to pick up any selected material of a predetermined hardness. All of the movable parts of the device are driven from the one motor, which makes for economy, not only in manufacture but also in operation.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction, may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:A

1. A separating device for separating the broken shells from the meats of nuts including, a support, a travelling conveyor mounted in the support and adapted to receive the shells and nuts to be separated, a plurality of rotatable drums immediately above the conveyor and extending transversely thereof, each drum comprising a shell having a plurality of radially extending openings therein, a plurality of pins slidable in said openings, a plurality of elastic rings within the shell engaging the inner ends of the pins to normally hold said pins in an extended position, and means for adjusting the rings to vary the force which said rings exert against the pins to vary the force necessary to depress said pins inwardly of the shell.

2. AS a sub-combination in a separating device, a rotatable drum including, a cylindrical shell, a plurality of depressible radially extending pins mounted in said shell, a plurality of elastic rings within the shell acting against the inner ends of the pins for normally holding the pins in an extended position, and means for varying the force exerted by said resilient means to vary the force necessary to depress the pins.

3. A separating device including, a support, a plurality of transversely extending drums rotatably mounted in the support, a plurality of depressible pins extending radially from the outer surface of each drum, a plurality olf elastic rings within the shell for maintaining the pins in their extended position, means for varying the tension on more than one vpin at the same time whereby various hardness of meats may be penetrated, and a travelling conveyor immediately below the drums in close proximity therewith for conveying the broken shells and meats of nuts beneath the drums and into contact with the pins thereof.

f4. `A separating device including', a supprt, an elongate conveyor mounted on the support for conveying the broken shells and the meats of nuts, a plurality of rotatable drums above the conveyor having radially extending pins arranged to penetrate the meats to pick up said meats from said conveyor, a stripper adjacent each drum for removing the meats from the pins of said drum, a discharge conveyor for receiving the removed meats and conducting the same from the drums, a prime mover, means for driving the conveyors and drums from the single prime mover, a plurality of elastic rings for maintaining the pins in an extended position, and means for expanding and contracting said elastic rings whereby the tension exertedon the pins is varied.

5. A separating device including, a support, an elongate conveyor mounted on the support for conveying the broken shells and the meats of nuts, a plurality of rotatable drums above the conveyor having radially extending pins arranged to penetrate the meats to pick up said meats from said conveyona stripper adjacent each drum for removing the meats from the pins of said drum, a discharge conveyor for receiving the removed meats and conducting the same from the drums, a plurality of elastic rings for maintaining the pins in their extended position, and means for expanding and contracting said elastic rings whereby the tension exerted 0n the pins is varied.

6. A separating device including, a support, a plurality of transversely extending drums rotatably mounted in the support, a plurality of depressible pins extending radially from the outer surface of each drum, a travelling conveyor beneath the drums, means for discharging the broken shells and meats of nuts onto the conveyor, whereby said shells and meats are passed beneath the drums and are contacted by the pins thereof so that said pins may penetrate the meats to pick up the same withoutl picking up the shells, a plurality of elastic rings for maintaining the `pins in an extended position, and means for expanding and contracting said elastic rings whereby the tension exerted on the pins is varied.

'7. A separating device including, a support, a plurality of transversely extending drums rotaiaably mounted in the support, a plurality of depressible pins extending radially from the outer surface of each drum, a plurality of elastic rings for maintaining Vthe pins in their extended position, a travelling conveyor immediately below the drums and in close proximity therewith for conveying the broken shells and meats of nuts beneath the drums and into contact with the pins thereof, said elastic Vrings. being arranged to resist depression of said pins when the pins contact the relatively soft meats whereby said meats are penetrated and picked up by the pins and being sufficiently resilient to allow inward movement of said pins when the pins engage the relatively hard shells of the nuts whereby said shells are not removed from the conveyor, and means for expanding and contracting said elastic rings whereby the tension on the pins is varied.

HARVEY A. JORDAN. 

